Former president Jacob Zuma’s controversial son Duduzane Zuma has admitted to meeting with the former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas in October 2015 but he has rubbished claims that he offered Jonas a bribe and said he had no knowledge of anyone else making any financial offer to Jonas.

Zuma said Jonas had agreed to meet with him and businessman Fana Hlongwana at a Johannesburg hotel and later asked if the meeting could be moved to a more private and secure location. Zuma suggested the meeting should be moved to the Gupta compound in Saxonwold, Johannesburg to which Jonas did not object.

Zuma said the meeting had been scheduled so Hlongwana could address alleged claims made by Jonas in what was at the time a rumoured blackmailing incident. Zuma revealed that rumours were growing that Hlongwana was trying blackmail Jonas.

Briefly.co.za gathered that Zuma rubbished claims that Jonas was introduced to any member of the Gupta family during his time at the mansion and categorically denied any knowledge of the alleged death threats which he was meant to have overheard.

TimesLive.co.za reported that in his witness testimony at the state capture inquiry Jonas said he had been bribed by one of the Gupta brothers and later the same brother made death threats against him if he revealed anything about the bribe.

Jonas told the inquiry the threat was made in the presence of Zuma.

Zuma said he had merely been facilitating the meeting between Jonas and Hlongwana and did not play an active role in any of the proceedings apart from arranging the meeting.

He admitted that Rajesh Gupta entered the room where the meeting was being held but denies that Rajesh took part in the meeting. Zuma said Rajesh had entered to inquire about his own availability for a business meeting the following day.

Zuma corroborated an earlier statement made by Rajesh in which he said he entered the room but did not introduce himself to Jonas or speak to anyone other than Zuma.

Zuma said from what he understood Jonas and Hlongwana had managed to come to some sort of agreement after the meeting and seemed to part on civil if not friendly terms.

Zuma and Hlongwana have been granted the right to cross-examine Jonas at the state capture inquiry, although the exact date for the hearing has yet to be set by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

The younger Zuma is thus far the only person to have been criminally charged in relation to allegations made by Jonas about being offered more than half a billion rand and to accept the position of finance minister.